Youth’s 5-day ultimatum: Stop 1.73 billion SUC budget cut

October 4, 2010

“Mr. President, we are giving you until your 100th day to stop the 1.73 billion maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) budget cut to state colleges and universities. If you fail to do so, we can guarantee that the our rage and wrath will spread throughout your administration”, this was the statement of Einstein Recedes, National President of the National Union of Students of the Philippines (NUSP ) in a presscon at the Kabataan Headquarters today.

Recedes said that the MOOE budget of state universities and colleges has been slashed by 1.73 billion while the budgets of foreign debt servicing (interest payments) and AFP has been increased by 80.9 Billion and 10 Billion, respectively.

“This administration has been all about meeting international standards. If that’s the case then we demand that he rechannel 97 billion from the giant budgets for defense and foreign debt to education. That will meet the international standard that 20% of the national budget goes to education.” Recedes added.

Recedes said that the youth will storm this administration with protests in the countdown for the president’s 100th day. He also mentioned that the youth walkout last September 24 is just the start of a series of militant actions.

Charisse Banez, spokesperson of the militant youth group ANAKBAYAN, said that Noynoy has been consistent in imposing anti-people policies and that the budget cut to education is just the tip of the iceberg.

“We are aware that Noynoy has systematically been pushing away social services from the people through privatization. He has been the posterboy of big business in expanding their interest in expense of the people, a concrete example is pushing state universities and colleges to be the at the beck and call of corporations by slashing their budgets.”, Banez said.

Banez said that Aquino’s first 100 days is plagued with more and more blows to the people–the MRT and LRT fare hike, NLEX toll hike, rice and water crisis, the hostage crisis, demolition, 14 extrajudicial killings and the absence of genuine land reform.

“The youth are giving you this final ultimatum, as we have said before, if you don’t listen to our call, we can guarantee that the fires which burnt your effigy will spread to your entire administration.”, Banez added.